Southeast Valley kids set to march in Macy's parade

by David Brown - Nov. 19, 2011 12:00 AMSpecial for The Republic

Everyone loves a parade -- especially two Southeast Valley and 12 other young Arizona performers.

Participants in the Arizona State University Gammage-sponsored Camp Broadway program, the young people, ages 12 to 15, will take part in the 85{+t}{+h}-anniversary Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

In a prepared performance with 118 other young people nationwide, they will dance and sing around the ZhuZhu Pets "Zhu-niverse" float featuring singer Savannah Outen. Selected from more than 1,000 auditioners nationwide, they will perform "There's No Place Like Here" from the direct-to-DVD movie "Quest for Zhu."

Founded in 1995, Camp Broadway reaffirms the importance of the performing arts for families. Hosted by local arts institutions, the New York City-based program has included almost 20,000 children from the 50 states and dozens of countries at its annual summer programs in cities such as Tempe -- where the event is coordinated by officials at ASU Gammage -- Atlanta, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Providence and other locations.

The young people chosen to travel to New York City had to learn a dance routine from Tony Parise, the national artistic director for Camp Broadway, at an audition at ASU Gammage and then perform it in groups of five.

Parise then selected 14 performers to appear in the world-famous parade, which began in 1924, when horses pulled the first floats and camels, goats, elephants and donkeys were included as well.

In addition to appearances in the annual Thanksgiving parade, Camp Broadway participants have also performed with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and appeared in Broadway on Broadway, an annual free concert in Times Square, both in New York City.

"Camp Broadway seems to be drawing more and more talented kids," said Parise. "The auditions this year were a pleasure because of that but made it much more difficult to pick only 132 performers."

Added Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, executive director for ASU Gammage: "Twelve years ago, we knew that the Valley of the Sun was filled with talented young Broadway-bound stars. Having ASU Gammage's Camp Broadway youngsters perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade just confirms it. They will do Arizona proud."

The young people, including some who have never been to Manhattan, can't wait.

"I am really looking forward to it," said Jonah Carlson, who will be joined on the trip by his mom and dad, Brenda and Kevin, as well as his younger brother Benny, a student at Patterson Elementary in Mesa.

"It will be pretty cool to participate in such a well-known public event. I felt really lucky to be picked," added Jonah, who has performed for East Valley Children's Theater, Broadway Palm Dinner Theater, Hale Centre Theater in Gilbert, Southwest Shakespeare Company and Actor's Youth Theater in Mesa.

Michael Francis, a sixth-grade student at San Tan Elementary in Chandler, has loved acting, singing, dancing since he was a baby, said his dad, Robert. Michael will be joined in New York by his dad, mom Stella, and his sisters Mariah, 17, a student at Dobson High School in Mesa, and Vanessa, 6, who also attends San Tan Elementary.